1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for the production of fatty acids which have at least three double bonds (highly unsaturated) and have an odd number, preferably 17 to 21, of carbon atoms.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that fatty acid with an odd number of carbon atoms, such as pentadecanoic acid and heptadecanoic acid, are components of an animal oil, but the content thereof in the oil is very low, and therefore, an isolation and purification thereof is not cost effective. A process for the production of pentadecanoic acid has been proposed wherein n-alkane is used as a substrate for an accumulation of pentadecanoic acid among fatty acids in or outside of an alkane-assimilating microorganism, but a process for the production of a highly unsaturated fatty acid having an odd number of carbon atoms is not known. Nevertheless, an efficient process for the production of a highly unsaturated fatty acid having an odd number of carbon atoms is urgently required.